WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2013 Santa Maria Foods, a Brampton, Ontario, establishment, is recalling approximately 2,600 pounds of whole boneless ham prosciutto product due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The ham product was shipped to California and Michigan for further distribution. Case labels bear the Canadian establishment number i473A” within the Canadian mark of inspection. The following product is subject to recall: [Labels]

• Approximately 50-lb. boxes labeled iPROSCIUTTO x 4 GOLD” with the case codes BR031356 or BR031374, produced on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15, 2013. Each box contains 4 individually packaged hams with the case codes BR031341 or BR031354.

The problem was discovered by FSIS sampling collected during routine reinspection. The sampled product was held, but further investigation by Santa Maria Foods revealed that additional potentially implicated product had been released into commerce. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website atwww.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Media with questions regarding the recall can contact Stephanie Gillis-Paulgaard at 780-863-7754. Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact the company's consumer hotline at 888-886-4428.

Consumers with food safety questions can iAsk Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.

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PREPARING PRODUCT FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHOTLINE or visit
www.fsis.usda.gov

Wash hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw meat and poultry for at least 20 seconds.

Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.

Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, bologna or other deli meats unless reheated until steaming hot.

Do not eat refrigerated pate, meat spreads from a meat counter or smoked seafood found in the refrigerated section of the store. Foods that do not need refrigeration, like canned tuna and canned salmon, are safe to eat. Refrigerate after opening.

Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk and do not eat foods that have unpasteurized milk in them.

Do not eat salads made in the store, such as ham salad, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad or seafood salad.

Do not eat soft cheeses, such as Feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, Brie, Camembert cheeses, blue-veined cheeses and Panela, unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk.

Use precooked or ready-to-eat food as soon as you can. L. monocytogenes can grow in the refrigerator. The refrigerator should be 40º F or cooler and the freezer 0º F or colder Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator.